2026 Direct Election of International Officers

Pursuant to the Consent Decree, the Monitor worked with the UAW and other stakeholders to assess potential reforms and finalize rules for the 2026 UAW International Officer Election (“2026 Election”).  On May 15, 2026, the Monitor published the Official Rules for the 2026 Election (“Election Rules”), available here (English-language version) and here (Spanish-language version), along with an Informal Notice of the 2026 Election, available here (English-language version) and here (Spanish-language version). 

In conjunction with the Election Rules, the Monitor prepared a list of anticipated frequently asked questions, and answers to those questions, available here. The Monitor has also issued Rules for Observers, available here, to supplement the Election Rules.

UAW members and prospective candidates should be aware of the below anticipated key dates for the 2026 Election.  This timeline will be updated as dates are finalized.

• June 15-18, 2026: The Thirty-Ninth UAW Constitutional Convention was held, during which Convention delegates nominated Candidates for UAW International Office.

• July 23, 2026: International Secretary-Treasurer Candidate Forum.

• ‍July 27, 2026: International Vice President Candidate Forum.

• July 30, 2026: International President Candidate Forum.

• On or about August 21, 2026: The first distribution of mail-in ballots to the electorate.

• September 23, 2026: Final date by which replacement ballots can be requested from the Election Vendor.

• September 30, 2026: Deadline by which members must be in good standing in order to have their vote counted in the 2026 Election.

• October 5, 2026: Deadline for all ballots to be received by the designated U.S. Post Office.

• October 6, 2026: Vote tabulation begins (Rosemont, IL).

Campaign Guidelines

The Monitor has released a series of campaign guidelines to assist members seeking to exercise their right to participate in campaign activities. These guidelines, which follow the rules around campaigning set forth in Section 4 of the Election Rules, are available below:

• Local Union Campaign Guidelines

• Conference Campaign Guidelines

• Constitutional Convention Campaign Guidelines

Election Rules Violation

On August 4, 2026, the Monitor entered into a Stipulation with Ray Jensen, an organizer in the UAW’s Department of Bargaining Strategy, resolving the Monitor’s investigation into a complaint that Jensen posted a threatening image of a candidate for UAW International President on Facebook.

The Monitor’s investigation found that, on July 16, 2026, Mr. Jensen posted a comment on a Facebook post by Will Lehman, a candidate for UAW International President in the 2026 election.  The comment consisted of an image depicting Mr. Lehman bound and gagged, bleeding from the mouth, with an unidentified armed individual aiming a rifle at him from behind.  

The Monitor found that this conduct violated Rule 4-4 of the Official Rules for the 2026 UAW International Officer Election, which provides: “Any threats, intimidation, retaliation, penalty, discipline, or improper interference or reprisal of any kind, or any similar conduct is strictly prohibited, and reports of such violations shall be investigated by the Monitor.”

To resolve the Monitor’s investigation, the Monitor imposed, and Mr. Jensen agreed to, the following remedy: (1) Mr. Jensen’s UAW membership is suspended for two years; (2) Mr. Jensen will apologize to Mr. Lehman; (3) Mr. Jensen is barred from campaigning for any candidate during the 2026 election cycle; and (4) Mr. Jensen is permanently barred from running for elected office within the UAW.

Threats and intimidation directed at a candidate for International Office go to the heart of the Monitor’s mandate to ensure that UAW elections are conducted in a fair, honest, open, and informed manner.  The Monitor takes any report of such conduct seriously, will investigate it fully, and will impose consequences where a violation is found.

Download the Monitor’s Stipulation with Ray Jensen here.

Candidate Forums

Pursuant to Election Rule 4-13, the Monitor conducted voluntary Candidate Forums for the following offices: one (1) International President; one (1) International Secretary-Treasurer; and three (3) International Vice Presidents. These Candidate Forums were governed by the Candidate Forum Rules, available here. Recordings of these Candidate Forums are available below:

• International President Candidate Forum (July 30, 2026)

• International Secretary-Treasurer Candidate Forum (July 23, 2026)

• International Vice President Candidate Forum (July 27, 2026)

Candidate Contact Information / Campaign Contributions and Expenditures

To ensure necessary recording of campaign contributions and expenditures, Election Rule 8-3 provides that individual members and groups of members must provide prompt and specific notice of contributions and expenditures to the relevant Candidate or Slate of Candidates for inclusion on monthly campaign financial disclosures.  In order to provide this notice, members should utilize the Candidate contact information available here.

Election Forms

As detailed in the Election Rules, the Monitor has issued the following forms for use in connection with the 2026 Election:

• Candidate Declaration Form [Election Rule 3-2]

• Credentialed Representative Form [Election Rule 4-2]

• Slate Declaration Form [Election Rule 6-3]

• Multiple Slate Affiliation Declaration Form [Election Rule 6-3]

• Prohibited Contribution Return Form [Election Rule 8-1]

• Registered Organization of Members Form [Election Rule 8-3]

• Campaign Financial Disclosure Form [Election Rule 8-9]

• Contributions and Expenditures Statement [Election Rule 8-9]

• Leftover Campaign Funds Form [Election Rule 8-12]

• Protest Form [Election Rules, Section 9]

Information on the 2021 Referendum, 2022 Election, and 2023 Run-Off Election

2021 Referendum: In 2021, pursuant to the Consent Decree, the Monitor, in consultation with the UAW, oversaw and administered a Referendum in which the UAW membership voted on whether to keep the then-current method for electing members to the IEB in which local union delegates to the UAW’s Constitutional Convention voted for IEB members or whether the method should be changed to a direct election by which each UAW member shall directly elect the members of the IEB (“2021 Referendum”).  As a result of the 2021 Referendum, the UAW adopted a direct voting system. More information regarding the 2021 Referendum is available here.

2022 Election: In 2022, pursuant to the 2021 Referendum, the Monitor, in consultation with the UAW, oversaw and administered the first-ever direct election of UAW International Officers (“2022 Election”). More information regarding the 2022 Election is available here.

2023 Run-Off Election: In 2023, based on the unofficial results of the 2022 Election, the Monitor, in consultation with the UAW, oversaw and administered a run-off election (“2023 Run-Off Election”) for the following three offices: International President; one International Vice President; and Director of Region 9. More information regarding the 2023 Run-Off Election is available here.